Device for moistening gummed surfaces



(No Model.)

. Y J. H. GHAMBERLAIN.

DEVICE POR MOISTENING GUMMED SURFAGES. No. 549,105.

Patented Nov. 5, 1895.

fag. 4,

.Eilllllllllillllll ANDREW ABRAHAM. PHDTO-UTHRWASHINFON. Cv

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. CHAINIBERLAIN, OF FRANKFORT, INDIANA.

DEVICE FOR IVIOISTENING GUMMED SURFACES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 549,105, dated November 5, 1895. Application led June 20, 1895. Serial No. 553 ,4.43. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known thatl, J AMES H. CHAMBERLAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Frankfort, in the county of Clinton and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Meistening Gummed Surfaces; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of this invention is to provide,

means for moistening the gummed edges of envelopes and for moistening postage-stamps preparatory to sealing the envelope and attaching the stamp thereto, the purpose being to provide an instrument which will contain the requisite moisture and obviate the necessity of touching the tongue or mouth to the envelope or stamp.

I accomplish the objects of the invention by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a view in elevation, partially in vertical section, of my improved device. Fig. 2 is a detail in vertical section of a modified construction. ing the outside appearance of the saine construction shown in Fig'. 2, and Fig. 4 is a detail in vertical section of a second modified form of moistening apparatus.

Similar letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

A represents the base or body portion of my device, which will be elongated and hollow, forming a vessel to contain the liquid to be used in moistening the envelope-Hap or stamp, and will be elongated in order to afford a convenient hand-hold for convenience in using the device. The vessel A will terminate at its mouth with the outside threads a. The vessel will be made from any suitable material, but preferably from glass.

B is the cap made from metal, rubber, or any suitable material, and will consist of the wedge-shaped upper part b, having the opening h through its middle portion and having the circular threaded flange b2 at the base of the wedge-shaped part, adapted to fit over the threaded mouth of the vessel A.

C is a stem secured to the socket 197 of the Fig. 3 is a detail view showcap and extends down into the interior of the vessel or bottle A. The stem is hollow and forms a continuation of the tubular opening h through the cap. The stem and the opening b are filled with a wick of any absorbent material c, preferably sponge, and that portion occupying the opening b in the cap will be forced in very solidly in order to compress the wick and prevent the too rapid absorption and discharge of Water therethrough. The wick is made to project beyond the nozzle, and being moist will dampen the gum on the envelope or postage-stamp when it is drawn across the said gummed surfaces. The stem C is provided with the longitudinal slot c2, in order to afford a more extended contact of the water with the wick. By this use of astem and wick the liquid, generally water, contained in the vessel A will be supplied in sufficient quantities and will be prevented from escaping too freely. In order that the amount of flow of the liquid may be somewhat regulated, the stem C will be loosely inserted in the socket 197 and the lower end of the stem made to bear against Vthe bottom of the vessel A, so that by screwing the cap B further down upon the vessel A the stem will be forced farther into the socket 197, thereby crowding the sponge or other material forming the wick tighter into the opening h.

In the modification shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the cap B2 is hollow and screws onto the ves- 'sel A', as clearly shown in the drawings. A cotton wick will preferably be used in this case, which will project through the opening in the top of the nozzle and will extend down into the vessel. Two wedges E and E' will be placed in the nozzle, one on each side of the wick, and these wedges will be forced toward each other and toward the wick by the pressure of the upper' end of the vessel A, which bears against the wedges and will force the wedges up when the cap ornozzle is screwed onto the vessel A'.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, a wedge-shaped support G is secured to the body A2, and over this the wick C7, preferably of the same material as the common flat lamp-wick, is stretched, the two ends depending into the liquid in the vessel. A wedgeshaped nozzle or cap B4 fits onto the end of IOO the vessel A2 and iinpinges the Wick between the support G and the said nozzle. By pressing the nozzle farther down onto the vessel the Wick Will be more tightly compressed and the iioW of liquid by capillary action retarded.

The base of the bottle A will be flat, in order that'it may be used as a folder to press the flap of the envelope down and stick it after the gum has been moistened.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and Wish to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

In a device for moistening gunnned surfaces, the combination With an elongated vessel to contain the liquid, of a nozzle adjustable thereon and illed With an absorbent material extending outside of the mouth of the nozzle and into the vessel and a stem movably secured within the opening in the nozzle and extending down into the vessel and terminating against the bottoni of said vessel, said stem being filled with said absorbent material and having openings through its Wall, substantially as described and for the purposes speciiied.

In testimony whereof I affix :my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JAMES H. CHAMBERLAIN.

Titnesses JOSEPH A. MINTURN, F. W. WOERNER. 

